As of Friday 30th December 2011, Makerere University officially transformed into a Collegiate University with 9 Colleges and one School, in accordance with the Law governing Universities.
On 24th January 2012, Makerere celebrated this transformation when 8 more colleges; in addition to the College of Health Sciences (CHS) launched on 28th October 2009, were officially launched by The Visitor, Makerere University and President of the Republic of Uganda H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and H.E. Mwai Kibaki, President of the Republic of Kenya. The two Heads of State, both Alumni of Makerere University, unveiled a plaque designed by Prof. George Kyeyune from the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Arts (MTSIFA), CEDAT.
The launch was the culmination of slightly over 16 years of hard work by different teams of individuals, dedicated to the efficient running of Makerere University.
Brief Background
Established in 1922 as a humble technical school, Makerere University is one of the oldest and most prestigious Universities in Africa. The school was later renamed Uganda Technical College. It expanded over the years to become a Center for Higher Education in East Africa in 1935.
In 1937, the College started developing into an institution of higher education, offering post-school certificate courses. In 1949, it became a University College affiliated to the University College of London and in 1963, it became the University of East Africa, offering courses leading to general degrees of the University of London.
With the establishment of the University of East Africa on 29th June 1963, the special relationship with the University of London came to a close and degrees of the University of East Africa were instituted. On July 1, 1970, Makerere became an independent national university of the Republic of Uganda, offering undergraduate and postgraduate courses leading to its own awards.
On 17th December 2010, The Makerere University Council approved the Senate recommendation to transform Makerere University into a collegiate university.
This transformation was aimed at improving service delivery, enhancing quality and effectiveness by dividing functions between the central administration of the university and viable constituent colleges.
The Uganda Gazette of Friday 30th December 2011 Vol. CIV No. 76 containing Statutory Instrument No. 68 -The Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions (Establishment of Constituent Colleges of Makerere University) Order, 2011 officially declared the transition.
The Constituent Colleges that have been established by the Statutory Order No. 68 in accordance with Section 29 (1) of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, 2001 are indicated in the Schedule as follows:
1. College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES);
2. College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS);
3. College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS);
4. College of Education and External Studies (CEES);
5. College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT);
6. College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS);
7. College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS); and
8. College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio-Security (CoVAB).
9. The College of Health Sciences (CHS) was established on 1st December 2007 under the “Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act (Establishment of College of Health Sciences, Makerere University) Order, 2008.
This now ends the process of establishing the 9 colleges as Constituent Colleges of Makerere University. Makerere University therefore consists of 9 Constituent Colleges and the School of Law.
